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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
A Professor of Animal Science at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Grace Jokthan, has highlighted steps needed to improve feed production and sufficiency on smallholder livestock farms which holds 70 per cent of the nation’s livestock.
Jonathan noted that in order to achieve rapid livestock growth and reduce poverty, policies should focus on expanding the contribution of the sector to the economy and increasing the pace of livestock growth with the active participation of smallholder farmers and the poor in that growth.
Prof. Jonathan, in her inaugural lecture delivered at NOUN headquarters, Abuja, said there was need to increase the capacity of feed producers to access land, finance, among other things,. She said it was imperative to improve the ability of workers to imbibe the need for multiple streams of income in the face of high inflation, and economic downturn amid rising unemployment.
She suggested the possibility for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) producers earning more profit and consumers being able to benefit more from competitive prices, and safer foods.
She added: “There is also need to strengthen farm feed production by introducing alternative high yielding planted fodders, both grasses and legumes. Measures that would enhance the establishment and efficient use of pastures should also be put in place.
“There is a wide range of pasture improvement strategies that vary from those that are expensive and labour intensive to those that are cheap, simple and cost effective. These will ensure improved pastures and soil conservation and reduce farmer-herder conflicts.
“Also, planting of fodder trees will reduce desert encroachment and ensure adequate quantity and quality feed for livestock all year round. The government can support this initiative through the provision of quality seeds, planting materials, and technical information to farmers.”
She said her research indicated that the development of complete feeds can greatly benefit smallholder farmers and this can be achieved with with capacity building on the formulation of feed rations among small scale farmers.
“Such options would include the use of agro-industrial byproducts or other nonconventional feed resources available in the zones to provide simple high quality rations that farmers can mix on farm.”
Professor Jonathan equally suggested that simple feed processing strategies and methods for feed storage will also enhance utilisation of crop residues and help to alleviate dry season feed shortages.
“This can be achieved through the introduction of simple feed processing technologies such as chopping and chaffing that enable animals to take more of the feed stuff. Deployment of these technologies could be done through farmer groups and linked to the provision of credit facilities.
“More investment in research, data accumulation and information sharing between public and private sectors would be particularly valuable for the advancement of the livestock sector. The involvement of extension agencies in technology transfer involving crop residues and other non-conventional feed sources will be a step in the right direction, as these feed sources will play an important role in the future as human and livestock population expand.
She also advocate the use of information technology in agriculture which is rapidly gaining ground alongside drones and artificial intelligence which are becoming the farm managers of tomorrow. Our youth will certainly look to farming in the future as the industry adopts ICT for agriculture.”
